Words by Dan Arscott
In recent years, we’ve seen the Grand D600 develop as a worldwide firm favourite amongst boat lovers – in particular across Europe and the UK – and are beginning to see this evolve into a favourite amongst Australian enthusiasts too. As we hope you’ll see in our walkthrough, its popularity and success comes down to the very design of the boat, which empowers it to be an incredibly hybrid, practical vessel that can serve across numerous uses and purposes. Blending leisure, luxury and practicality, the Grand D600 is as much a boat that you can take the family out on for a relaxed day of boating, as it is for a spacious fishing RIB, or a commercial boat for diving or marine training.
Meet The Boat
At 6.1 metres in length and 2.5 metres wide, this centre console rigid inflatable boat maximises deck space and opens up a world of boating possibilities for enthusiasts. With its raised tubes, deep-v fibreglass hull, and power rating of up to 150HP, the D600 is a true sports performance RIB that cuts through water conditions with ease. Passengers who have sea trialed this boat with us have often commented on just how cleanly and comfortably this boat can cut through choppy wake or journey over tricky bar waters – something boaters who often travel through Gold Coast waterways will appreciate in particular!
The Drive 600 range is available in three different deck configurations; the Drive (which features a row of 6 six seats at the bow for taxi-ing passengers), the Lux (with reversible helm seats for more open, leisure boating), and the Active – which we’ll walk you though here today. This model is designed for water sports lovers, providing thrilling, active boating and adventure experiences on the water. It’s a boat that maximizes deck space and provides room for whatever form your adventure takes, whether that be fishing, waterskiing, diving or more.
The Stern
We begin our walkthrough down at the stern of the D600, where you’ll find a ski tower and two large swim platforms at the back of the boat. One is fitted with a telescopic boarding ladder which makes getting in and out the water after swimming or wakeboarding really easy.
Down at the stern of the boat and just above these swimming platforms, you can see two storage bins that open up and offer great storage capacity at the rear of the craft. These are particularly handy if you’re into your water sports and need a place to put away equipment whilst underway. When closed, the top of these storage bins offers a wide, stable area to put on and take off equipment for wakeboarding or waterskiing, out of the way of other people who are onboard the boat. For those into their fishing, this area also makes a great and stable location to cast from. By removing the rear back rests, you also create an open passageway through from the stern up to the centre of the boat.
This model is fitted with a Yamaha 150HP steer-by-wire engine – topping out at around 42 Knots – though also performs extraordinarily well with either a 115HP or 130HP engine, depending on the type of boating experience that you’re after. With a 160L under floor fuel tank, this is a boat that enables you to go the distance at a high performance level.
Seating at the Stern & Helm
While acknowledging the various forms of boating that the D600 empowers, it is important that the greatest amount of comfort is provided for the different types of passengers who enjoy this sports RIB. It is for this reason that the seating configuration onboard the D600 has been very well thought out, combining spacious comfort with notable practicality. The rear seating is wide and curves around the stern of the boat, providing seating for around 4 people. This seating also offers two storage lockers underneath the seats on either side, while the seat in the middle is entirely removable to allow more kit to be stored onboard if needed.
Up at the console, you’ll find two jockey seats with deep cushioning that provides excellent shock absorbency on the water. These seats have two positions, enabling you to either sit down or perch against them in comfort.
Comfort and quality are evident both visually and to touch across the two-tone upholstery, with world-class European manufacturer Spradling providing the luxury seating material throughout this boat and others in the Grand range. The taupe and diamante carbon colour combination is less susceptible to heat and elevates the classic styling and colouring of this sports RIB.
Just like all models by Grand, underfoot throughout the boat, the D600 is fitted with Sea Dek flooring in mocha-black, which provides a non-slip and cushioned surface to walk on while onboard, and adds a classic finishing touch to the styling and colouring of this luxury rigid inflatable boat.
The Console
The centre console design of the D600 opens up the deck space onboard the boat, maximizing maneuverability around the vessel. Sitting beneath the fabric t-top, the wide console area sits two people comfortably at the helm.
The console dashboard on the Grand D600 is fitted with all the electronics you’d expect to have on a premium sports RIB, such as a 9 inch Garmin Chart Plotter, a Fusion Radio with four speakers, a Scanstrut Wireless Phone Charger, a Garmin VHF Radio and a luxury sport steering wheel. At the base of this console – and throughout the rest of the boat – we’ve got six 6.5 inch Fusion XS Series speakers that offer a balanced and world class music experience on the water.
The console is also fitted with a driver and passenger cupholder, a tall windscreen that maximizes wind deflection, and handrails all around the centre console for an easy grab, enhancing the safety for passengers at the helm and allowing safe passage in the various sea conditions that the deep-v hull on this boat empowers you to navigate.
The Bow
While storage and space is clearly ample at the stern of the D600, the same becomes immediately clear as we move up towards the bow. The vast amount of storage that is available to you underfloor becomes apparent as we lift the numerous lockers on board here. The additional single seat in front of the driving console, for instance, also lifts to provide a storage locker under the seat cushion. This entire seat and the floor space in front of it, however, also raises in its entirety to reveal a vase under deck locker pace that is large enough to fit a small wakeboard.
Further up at the bow, the sun bed is also host to two small anchor and rope lockers underneath.
This sun bed at the bow of the boat already comfortably sits two people, enabling you to stretch out and relax up at the front of the boat. This whole bow area however can be filled in with an additional sun bed cushion, enabling this space to become one large bed area for the ultimate relaxation space while on the water.
A feature that is distinctive across all Grand RIBs – including the D600 – is the bow step plate, which has been designed to make stepping onboard from pontoons a comfortable and stable passage. Here on the Grand D600, the large bow step plate features an anchor roller and a recessed mooring cleat, which keeps it tucked neatly and safely out of the way when you’re sitting back and relaxing up at the bow.
Summary
So, we’ve covered the key design details of this boat. But who is the boat right for? In our opinion, it really does suit so many types of people. This is a boat that really hits that perfect sweet spot of performance, practicality, comfort and style – something that is hard to get just right and balance in midsize boats. For that reason, this is a boat that works perfectly across different uses. We’ve seen the D600 used as a fishing RIB, a chase boat for super yachts, a family wakeboarding boat, and a commercial boat for marine training courses and more.
It’s a boat that offers a stylish and comfortable experience on the water, whilst also offering countless practical features – but does so without looking too commercial or utilitarian in its design.
It’s a boat that offers an incredibly high-performance, ergonomic, thrilling ride, whilst also offering a comfortable and safe day-boat for families to enjoy outings on the water – all without compromising on the high standard of style and quality.
It’s a rigid inflatable boat that gives you a good range, a comfortable high-paced ride, and a spacious deck layout packed with practicalities. For many, the D600 has been the first boat that they’ve ever owned and we can think of no better boat to introduce you to the the varying forms of adventure that the world of boating can offer you.
Interested in having a ride for yourself and seeing what this boat is about? Get in touch with our team today to organise a sea trial at a waterway near you.
